Integrated meditation and exercise therapy: A randomized controlled trial of a combined non-pharmacological intervention reduces disability and pain in patients with chronic low back pain
Anna M. Polaski, Amy L. Phelps, Thomas J. Smith et al. preprint
A combined intervention of mindfulness meditation followed by aerobic walking exercise (MedExT) improved disability, mindfulness, and pain intensity and unpleasantness in adults with chronic low back pain. Thirty-eight adults completed either MedExT (n=18) or an audiobook control condition (n=20). Over four weeks, the MedExT group performed 12-17 minutes of guided meditation followed by 30 minutes of moderate intensity walking five days per week. MedExT significantly improved disability compared to the control group, increased mindfulness, and reduced mean ratings of low back pain intensity and unpleasantness, but had no significant effect on quantitative sensory testing of the low back.